Melior Model 1922
Robar et Cie · Pistol · Discontinued · 1922
Also known as: Melior New Model, Jieffeco
Overview
The Melior Model 1922 is a Belgian blowback-operated, striker-fired semi-automatic pocket pistol manufactured by Robar et Cie of Liège. Chambered primarily in .32 ACP (7.65mm Browning) and also offered in .25 ACP (6.35mm Browning), it is a New Model refinement of Robar's earlier Melior designs, feeding from a detachable box magazine. Compact and inexpensive, it was a typical civilian and self-defense pocket pistol of the interwar Liège gun trade, also marketed under the Jieffeco trade name.
Specifications
| Barrel Length | 89 mm (3.50") |
| Action Type | Blowback |
| Firing Mechanism | Striker Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 7 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 290 m/s (951 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 190 J (140 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 25 m (27 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .32 ACP · primary — also known as .32 Automatic, 7.65x17mm Browning SR, 7.65mm Browning
- .25 ACP — also known as .25 Automatic, 6.35x16mm Browning SR, 6.35mm Browning
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Thumb Safety
- Features: Fixed Sights, Checkered Grips
Production
Production years: 1920s-1930s
Commercial pocket pistol; exact production figures not recorded
Origin
Country of origin: Belgium
Notes
Melior (Latin for "better") was a trade name used by Robar of Liège for a series of pocket pistols; the pre-war models were also exported under the Jieffeco brand. The New Model / 1922 followed earlier Melior designs whose patents date to 1913-1914.
Background
The Melior name is Latin for "better," one of several optimistic trade names used by Liège gunmakers competing in the crowded interwar pocket-pistol market; the same guns were sold pre-war under the Jieffeco brand for export.